There is a lot happening at the Aurora Public Library District (APLD) in the upcoming weekend. Two large-scale events are happening at Santori Library Friday evening and Saturday morning. The People’s Ball June 3 is the Library’s First Friday event with Aurora Downtown, and then we turn around and come right back Saturday morning June 4 to celebrate the kick-off of our Summer Reading Adventure program!
The People’s Ball is our Pride-themed First Fridays event celebrating, you guessed it… people! We want everyone to feel their best during this celebration, so we encourage you to wear whatever you feel most gorgeous in; dress up wild and fancy ,or come as you are! Event and Program Coordinator Ali Lanthrum explains the meaning behind the event’s name. “The name of this event was inspired by The People’s Ball held annually by the Brooklyn Public Library, which celebrates style, fashion, and happiness. We wanted to create an opportunity for the community to come together to enjoy music, dance, and celebrate our LGBTQIA+ community.”
In fact, June 3 will be the opening of our Aurora Pride photo exhibit in the Santori Library Atrium. This exhibit features many of the celebratory faces and places of Aurora’s 2021 city-wide Pride celebration. All are invited to view these authentic and cheerful photos. After you view the exhibit, you can enjoy a high-energy step-by-step group dance instruction led by Simply Destinee, a youth-inspired community dance team. Those who delight in dancing, music, and movement are in for a special treat, because there will be performances by a professional hula-hoop artist and juggler. The event will be a night of high energy designed for everyone to enjoy.
Reserve some of your energy for the morning because the fun doesn’t stop there! This year, our Summer Reading Adventure theme is ‘Read Beyond the Beaten Path.’ Based on that theme, we’ve designed a kick-off event that will surprise and delight our community with a unique variety of experiences and activities.
If you join us Saturday morning from 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. outdoors in the Santori Library parking lot, you can be among the very first to register for the 2022 Summer Reading Adventure! You will be able to see, touch, and learn about a variety of reptiles and amphibians with Deb the Frog Lady, who has been trained in environmental education and wildlife biology. Boy Scouts from the Three Fires Council will be inviting participants to build and race LEGO pinewood derby cars, and the Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois will be setting up a demonstration campsite and helping those attending make s’mores. Library staff members will offer a leaf and animal track tracing activity and you can even get a (temporary) tattoo. Everyone in the community is invited and welcome to attend!
For more information about either of these events, visit our events page at www.aurorapubliclibrary.org/events or give us a call at 630-264-4117. Details about the Summer Reading Adventure can be found at www.aurorapubliclibrary.org/sra.
Andrea Tiberi is the communications coordinator for the Aurora Public Library District.